Michelle Welsh
MP for Sherwood Forest · Labour · United Kingdom
“Q6. The Donna Ockenden and Baroness Amos reviews have exposed some uncomfortable truths: that justice is not brought about by a system, a law, a protocol, a regulatory authority or NHS England, but by bereaved and harmed families having to speak up, over and over again, about the most horrific and traumatic experience of their lives just…”
“I welcome Baroness Valerie Amos’s review, and I thank her and her team for their commitment to this vital work. Once again, this review confronts us with a very uncomfortable but real truth.”
“We need fundamental reform of the wider system of oversight and accountability. Regulators, NHS bodies and inspection regimes must change. Reviews do not save lives, but action does. We need strong leadership; big, bold decision making; and a determination to implement change, rather than simply to recommend it.”
“I thank the Secretary of State for his statement. For openness and transparency, I note that I have been campaigning on this for six years and I am a harmed mother at Nottingham University hospitals NHS trust. I start by thanking the brave families—my friends—and Donna Ockenden and her team.”
“That does not signify a system that is working. The report identified avoidable deaths, harm and profound failings. The publication of this report is simply not enough. What is required now is action, accountability and change.”
“I absolutely agree. In fact, some of the accounts that I have been given by prison staff, particularly women prison officers, are deplorable. The inspectorate notes: “There had been two self-inflicted deaths in the previous two years and support for those at risk of self-harm was weak.” The rate of self-harm had increased by 50%, and the…”
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“The moral failure has consequences; it perpetuates gender inequality, penalises the mother’s career, entrenches her as the default primary carer and contributes directly to the gender pay gap. It limits the father’s role—it effectively blocks fathers who wish to be highly involved from the start, hindering their bond with the child. The moral solution is equal, well-paid, non-transferable parental leave for both parents. We must elevate the financial value of the mother’s or father’s presence from a mere detriment to an essential contribution, thereby normalising co-parenting and supporting the mother. Parental pay is not a cost to the economy; it is a strategic investment in our human capital. When we support parents during that first 1,001 days, we are investing in our public health.”
“Their presence facilitates critical family adjustment, supports the birthing parent’s recovery and enables their own essential bonding—a key factor in reducing post-natal depression for both parents. When parental pay is too low, parents are forced back to work too early. They are forced to prioritise their pay over their child’s neurological and emotional development. Historically, our policies have had a clear gender bias. Maternity pay, perhaps somewhat improving, still often sees the mother bear the financial penalty of taking long leave. Paternity pay, however, is also often a token gesture—a week or two at statutory minimum—sending a damaging message that the role of the father or birthing partner is secondary.”
“Because that is the time when the baby’s brain makes billions of connections, shaped by their environment. The primary input they need is secure attachment, which comes from a loving, available and responsive parent. Let me be clear: as many in this room will know, those first few days, weeks and months are hard. I am fed up with mothers being treated as second-class citizens. For the mother, maternity pay is crucial for physical and mental recovery from childbirth, to allow for uninterrupted bonding and to establish feeding routines, which are the cornerstones of that secure attachment. It ensures that exhaustion and financial anxiety do not hijack this delicate foundational relationship. For the father or non-birthing parent, that early time is just as essential.”
“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mrs Hobhouse. When a child is born the world changes, not just for the parents but for the child, whose entire development begins right there in those first precious moments. The period from conception to age two—what we call the first 1,001 days—is the most critical window for brain development and emotional security. That profound scientific truth forms the ultimate moral argument for generous, equitable maternity and paternity pay. This is not a conversation about employment benefits; it is a conversation about human development and our country’s future. The foundation for a child’s future health, wellbeing and capacity to learn is laid down in those first 1,001 days, and the very first days and weeks are perhaps the most vital. Why?”
“Q10. In March 2022, I gave birth to my son by emergency c-section—both my son and my life put at risk by a failing maternity service. In Nottinghamshire, we know failing maternity services far too well, with harm caused to mothers, babies and fathers—over 2,400 families involved in the Donna Ockenden inquiry. Does the Prime Minister agree that grief must be the engine of change, and that where previous Governments have failed, it is imperative that this Government transform maternity services, so that every birth is an informed birth and every birth is a safe birth?”
“After 14 years of a Conservative Government, poor access to GPs is something that we have come to know well in certain areas of my constituency of Sherwood Forest. In Hucknall, demand for GP appointments is overwhelming to the point that one practice has had to close its online system. Promises of a super-healthcare system were made by the previous Government but never delivered. Meanwhile, local Ashfield independent politicians have disgracefully used this as a political football. Does the Secretary of State agree with me that there has been far too much talk and not enough action, and that it is now time that both the integrated care board and Ashfield district council deliver on this?”
“Change is so desperately needed. That is what families need, and what they are calling for. It is time to listen to the bereaved, and to harmed families, and to put them at the heart of any reforms.”
“When women—particularly black, Asian and minority women—see the same midwife throughout their pregnancy, they can build a relationship and ensure that their experience, culture and religious needs are considered. That creates a safer place for women to discuss sensitive issues and removes the frustration of having to repeat their story to numerous staff. If we can rebalance the conversations and culture around birth and put in place a system that allows for continuity of care, we can reduce the harm done to babies and families. Continuity of care after birth will also be vital in reducing the incidence of death just after birth, which disproportionately affects babies born to mothers living in the most deprived areas of the UK; they are twice as likely to die in their first month as babies born to mothers in the least deprived areas.”
“We must empower and support doctors, midwives and nurses, so that they can make decisions purely on medical necessity and safety—decisions that are free from dangerous judgments, including regarding C-sections. That requires us to have a workforce in place, so that clinicians can do their job, can make time for training, and, most importantly, once again have time to listen. A key part of the conversation is continuity of care. We must ensure that midwives are given time to fully understand each woman’s needs and wants. By doing so, we can reduce the number of instances in which potentially life-threatening issues are missed and women fall through the cracks. Continuity of care can help address disparities in maternity care.”
“We have seen a damaging trend of labelling C-sections as a failure, a shortcut or a lesser way to give birth. The judgment is not just unfair but dangerous. The pressure created by this toxic conversation can sometimes push clinicians to delay necessary, lifesaving procedures or make women feel immense guilt for a safe outcome. Let us be clear that the safest birth is the most informed birth. We must ensure that every woman has access to high-quality education regarding birth and feels confident asking critical questions about their care. We need to create a space where asking for help is seen not as a weakness but as a commitment to their wellbeing and their baby’s health.”
“We know that almost one in five stillbirths and neonatal deaths in this country could have been prevented through better care, yet the previous Government failed to act on this crisis, and families across the country have suffered immensely as a consequence. If I hear one more time that a previous Government Minister stood up and said that they were going to do it—well, they did not. They did not assign funding to it. They gave false promises to women and babies. We have a real opportunity under this Government to make maternity safer. Every woman deserves a birth experience where she feels heard, respected and, above all, safe. Let me also be clear that this should never be an argument about natural versus surgical; it should be about what is the safest option for each woman. For too long the narrative has been poisoned by judgment.”
“From talking to thousands of women and families, I have seen the recurring issues within our maternity services, including a culture of women not being listened to, a lack of accountability and situations where babies have died in the most horrendous circumstances and families are having to fight over and over again for answers and to relive the worst moments of their lives over and over again because the systems in this country are quite frankly broken. I was the first elected member in Nottinghamshire to call for an independent review into maternity services at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS trust back in 2020. I am immensely grateful to the families, some of whom are in the Gallery today, who are leading the fight for change in Nottingham.”
“We pledge to them and ourselves that we will fix maternity services and build a legacy of safety so powerful that their short lives will forever protect the long lives of others, and we will do it for good. I know from my own experience as a harmed mother in Nottinghamshire that speaking out and sharing what are potentially the most traumatic and personal experiences can be terrifying, and I want to commend those who have spoken out publicly and the hundreds of families who have spoken to me about their experiences.”
“I am not asking for a miracle, but I am demanding competence, safety and accountability, and a country where every mother who walks into a delivery room knows that she is in the safest hands possible and that her baby will be protected. Our children deserve that safety, and the children yet to come deserve it too. While we cannot bring back the precious babies we lost, we can honour their memory by ensuring that their fate is never repeated. We are not just mourning a past but fighting for a future where safety is guaranteed, where every mother is heard and where every birth is met with the excellence and dedication it deserves. Let the memory of the children we hold in our hearts be the light that guides our resolve. Let the stories be the steel in our spine.”
“We must speak about the preventable errors, missed opportunities and systemic failures in our maternity services that have turned dreams into dust. Grief is a fact, but these failures are not inevitable. For too long the grief of affected families has been treated as a private sorrow and an isolated tragedy, but let me be clear: these are not isolated incidents. The heartbreak and loss are a consequence of a system that is failing, where warnings are missed, staffing is insufficient, preventable errors steal precious futures, tragedies are swept under the carpet and families have to fight for answers. We have heard the data and read the reports, and we have shared our devastating stories. We know the truth: maternity services are fundamentally broken and our babies are paying the price.”
“As a harmed mother from Nottinghamshire, I gave birth to my son by emergency C-section because health professionals treated me with utter contempt, ignored me and did not do as they should, and then said it was all my fault. My son was not put in my arms when he was born; instead, he was rushed over to a consultant to start him breathing. While I wish I had time to share the details of what happened in the Chamber so that others can understand the severity of a failing system, time does not permit me. To those who have lost a baby, we know that when the world says, “I’m sorry for your loss”, it sounds thin and distant, because what was lost was not just a child. Families have lost first breaths, first steps, first days of school, and a lifetime of “I love you.” They have lost hope. We must stop whispering about baby loss in the shadows.”
“I ask those who have recently called for a reduction in accountability this: how can accountability be reduced to improve maternity services when it is not even there? I am not talking about hounding midwives and obstetricians, but if someone makes a mistake again and again, as we saw in Nottinghamshire, families have to fight for the truth. Mothers leave hospital having been made to think that they were at fault. There has to be accountability. We need accountability and support to allow midwives to become great. Families should be clear about the process, which should work with them, so that they get answers and the truth without having to fight for them.”
“I thank my hon. Friend; that was an important thing to say. I was so pleased when the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care announced a rapid review of maternity services, which I believe he did to ensure that we get on with fixing the problems that we know are there—for example, with continuity of care—as soon as possible. It is vital that we take families with us and ensure that they are listened to and treated with respect. Let us not waste this real opportunity to change the systems that have been harming families for far too long. The final key aspect that I would like to address is the need for true accountability. Too often, negligence leads to loss; the failures are there for everyone to see.”
“We are fighting for a future in which safety is guaranteed, every mother is heard and every birth is met with the excellence and dedication it deserves. Let the memory of the children we hold in our hearts be the light that guides our resolve: baby Harriett, baby Teddy, baby Junior, Amaya, baby Winter, Maya, Dexter, Smokey, baby Ladybird and baby Coupa, the wonderful, kind and funny Ryan, and every baby and mother impacted and gone too soon. We must pledge to them and to ourselves that we will fix maternity services. We will build a legacy of safety so powerful that their short lives will forever protect the long lives of others, and we will do it for good.”
“All of us here are bound by a shared, heartbreaking truth: no parent should have to say goodbye before hello. Affected families deserve more than condolences. It is up to us in this Chamber to demand an end to the preventable failures, systemic neglect and outdated protocols that steal futures. Grief must become the engine of change. It is not enough to patch a broken system; we must rebuild it, stronger and safer than ever before, for every baby whose life was too short, for every family left shattered, and for every future family depending on us right now. Our task is clear. The time for analysis is over. The time for delay is over. I will not rest until our maternity services are fixed, permanently and profoundly.”
“It is truly astonishing how many people across the country, from all corners of our society, from mothers to midwives, are working themselves to the bone to improve our maternity and bereavement services. They are all pushing for change for women and the babies of the future. This is no longer just a campaign; it is a movement, and if the Government and the NHS do not act now, they risk being left behind. We face many crises in our maternity services, and the only way through them is together. Families, midwifes, mothers, fathers, nurses, obstetricians, charities, decision makers and Members of Parliament must come together in this movement to fundamentally reshape our services, so that safe birth, continuity of care and accountability are at their centre.”
“Those of us who were made to feel completely expendable at the most vulnerable moment in our life will know that to be only too true. In choosing how to respond, this Government have a powerful opportunity to send a decisive message about how they view and value women. It is possible to make change. Every day, I meet fantastic organisations run by people who have used their experience to fuel their work to change lives. They include Jo Cruse from Delivering Better, Sharon Luca from the Luca Foundation, Heidi Eldridge from the MAMA Academy, Laura Corcoran from Dignity Care Network, and Clo and Tinuke from Five X More. I could name so many more.”
“All those organisations were informed over and over again about what was happening in Nottingham, and nothing was done—not one thing. To this day, no one has been held accountable. I welcome the Government’s decision to publish a consultation on secondary legislation in order to modernise regulatory frameworks. I would be grateful to hear more about that. I ask the Government to involve bereaved and harmed families in the process, because regulation must work for families, and to work with organisations such as the Royal College of Midwives to ensure that clinicians are involved. In any reform and change, there must be balance. It is time for this Labour Government to take action. What successive Governments have allowed to unfold in maternity care tells a devastating story about how little the lives and experience of women are valued.”
“I absolutely agree; if we had that approach in Nottinghamshire, the story would have been very different. This starts with us building a culture that allows people to say, “This went wrong, and this is why. I made a mistake, and I am sorry. It’s time to fix it.” We cannot accept any more maternity scandals in this country. Of course, there will be times when nothing more can be done, through nobody’s fault, but in instances where mistakes were made, clinicians need to come forward. How do we learn from mistakes if they are never identified? Regulators such as the Care Quality Commission, the Nursing and Midwifery Council and the General Medical Council need to step up. The evidence is there for all to see in Nottinghamshire: the NMC failed, the GMC failed and the CQC failed.”
“Almost 2.2 million children are on free school meals—just over one in four children in England. Half of those children will not reach a good level of development by the age of five. According to the Sutton Trust, the attainment gap between children on free school meals and their peers has widened to 20%. Before I was elected, I worked with vulnerable children and I saw day in and day out how influential a child’s start in life can be on their future. I also saw how incredible Sure Start centres were in changing the lives of families in disadvantaged communities. I cannot express how excited I am to learn that the Government will be modelling their family hubs in a similar way and that they will be rooted in disadvantaged communities.”
“Just over a year ago, I made the decision to stand to be a Member of Parliament because I believe that where people start in life should not determine where they end and what opportunities they should have. I spent many years in Nottinghamshire and Derby setting up Sure Start centres under the previous Labour Government. Then I had to watch Sure Start centres being dismantled and the most disadvantaged children having their support ripped away from them. That is the very thing that drove me to stand to be a Member of Parliament. The injustice should never have been allowed to happen, and it is time to deal with the legacy of 14 years of a Conservative Government. In the UK, 4.5 million children are living in poverty; there are more than 4,000 in my constituency of Sherwood Forest.”
“I beg to move, That this House has considered Government support for early years providers. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Pritchard. I requested today’s debate on Government support for early years providers because too often the early years are left out of the discussion on education, and the impacts that they have on children’s lives and futures are not always given the respect that they deserve. I agreed with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State during Monday’s statement when she called early years providers “the hidden heroes of our communities.” —[ Official Report , 7 July 2025; Vol. 770, c. 682.] I am determined to see them hidden no longer.”
“As we push forward with ensuring every child has the best start in life, I remind the Government of the importance of taking early years providers with us and urge them to give providers the support and tools they need to succeed.”
“Investment into our early years providers makes a difference; there is no doubt about that. Little Elms in my constituency provides a fantastic early years learning environment to children in the Dover Beck and Lowdham wards, and it has recently been granted permission and capital funding by the council to expand and build an extra building, allowing it to offer 17 more spaces for children in the community. That extra space will mean they can employ more early years workers, too. It will make an incredible difference in just one community in Sherwood Forest. Across the country, there are so many providers doing incredible work for our children, including Busy Bees in Vicar Water in Clipstone, which was rated outstanding by Ofsted. I want to say a heartfelt thanks to all those workers in Sherwood Forest and across the country.”
“I was pleased that two nurseries in Sherwood Forest were among the 300 schools that the Government announced are to receive the school-based nursery grant: Samuel Barlow primary academy in Clipstone and Lake View primary and nursery school in Rainworth. However, I have heard concerns from some private nurseries in Sherwood Forest that the Government funding does not cover the costs of the free days of care. That leaves nurseries no choice but to pass those costs on to paying parents; in the worst cases it means that they must close entirely. It is vital that providers are able to stay open at a time when we so desperately need them. Have the Government investigated concerns that the funding from Government does not go far enough to cover the costs faced by nurseries?”
“The gap for pupils at the end of primary school is around 27 months, and by the end of secondary school, the gap reaches almost 40 months. That is over three years. If we do not attempt to address that gap at the earliest stage, children with SEND will always be on the back foot, and that is not right or fair. I am concerned about the rising costs of childcare and the impact that it will have on children who are already starting from behind. Childcare must be affordable for both families and providers. The Government’s decision to deliver an entitlement of 30 hours’ funded childcare a week for working families will be key to driving children out of poverty and it will massively improve their outcomes in life.”
“It can be as simple as giving children the blocks to build their own fort or a bucket and spade for a sandcastle. Preparing children with as many skills as possible, as soon as possible, only increases their opportunities in school and, ultimately, their opportunities when they are adults, yet access to high-quality early years provision is not equal for all children across the UK. Disadvantaged children and those with special educational needs and disabilities are more likely to struggle to access early years provision in England. The Education Policy Institute found that, for children in reception with an education, health and care plan, the attainment gap in 2023 was 19.9 months compared with children without one. That is more than a whole school year. The gap only widens.”
“By addressing developmental needs early on, early years education can reduce disparities in achievement and promote more equitable outcomes for all children. A key element of early years provision, which I feel is often left out, is the power of play: 20% of a child’s week is spent in the playground. Play is so important for a child’s imagination, creativity and confidence in interacting with other children. I want to highlight the OPAL—outdoor play and learning—programme, which is a mentor-supported school improvement programme that aims to help schools to improve the quality of play. By ensuring that early years providers have the necessary equipment and staff training, children have time to play, which is effectively utilised to build skills in language, problem solving and teamwork.”
“Growing up watching my mum, I have seen at first hand the impact that childminders can have on a child’s life and how important they are to supporting families. Would the Minister reassure me on the role that childminders will play in the Best Start programme? Early years also impacts a child’s future through school readiness. Attending an early years provider, whether a private nursery, a school nursery, a childminder or something else, can prepare children for not only the academic side of school but the social element. Allowing children to meet and interact with others of the same age helps them to socialise and it supports their ability to engage with structured learning environments. It also helps children to build confidence, curiosity and resilience, which are all strengths needed for later education and life.”
“Ensuring that families had access to midwifery and maternity services and health visitors meant that families were prepared and equipped with essential skills and even basics such as how to feed their child. At a time when maternity services across the country are under immense pressure, ensuring that families and children are supported in the community by these hubs is vital. I hope that under this Government and the new “best start in life” strategy, there will be a clear pathway from birth and that the Department for Education will link up with the Department of Health and Social Care to ensure that. I was particularly excited to see childminders included in the strategy, as my mum was a childminder for many years. For too long, childminders have been treated separately and not taken as seriously as more formal educational settings.”
“Friend the Minister might be able to confirm whether any of the family hubs might be in my constituency of Sherwood Forest—a little cheeky question there. It is well established that the first few years of a child’s life are critical in supporting their physical, mental and emotional development in the long term. Children’s brains grow and adapt so quickly, particularly in the first few years. The experiences that they have can have lifelong effects, which is why interventions at that stage of life are crucial, especially for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. One of the most key elements of a Sure Start centre was the pathway from birth to childhood.”
“I thank the hon. Member for that point. What happens on SEND in early years is vital. I actually saw that and how it happens. Some of it is about funding, but a lot of it is also about changing how we work. At the moment, how we work is not for the benefit of the child and the family. Services that surrounded families and children for years and years were taken away and dismantled, and now parents and children are left in a very lonely position, especially when they have SEND. We have to look more broadly. We could throw as much money as possible at this, but actually we have to fundamentally change how we work and think about what support services we really need to surround the child. I am hoping that my hon.”
“Secondly, and notwithstanding everybody else’s contributions, we have a real chance with the Best Start strategy to make a real difference, and the more voices that can be heard on that, the better. Where you are born should not determine your future, and I am convinced that this Labour Government will make sure that is the case. Question put and agreed to . Resolved, That this House has considered Government support for early years providers.”
“I thank everyone who has taken part in today’s debate. What is fabulous about this Parliament is the breadth of knowledge and experience regarding early years and childcare, women’s health and all those subjects. Although we may disagree sometimes on how to do this, I think there is a united vision to ensure that every child gets the best start in life. There have been moments of déjà vu in this debate when people have talked about outreach workers linking with social workers and ready-to-go-to-school programmes, because all those were around in the late 1990s under Sure Start and were sadly dismantled in front of my eyes. I will close by saying two things. First, I think we need to move from talking about school readiness to talking about learning readiness—that is really important.”
“Pubs are at the heart of many communities across the country, and that is certainly the case in Nottinghamshire. What makes them special is their unique, traditional character and their close ties to everyone who lives in the community, which is very much true of the Horse & Groom pub in Linby. However, many pubs face financial pressures and are at risk of being taken over by larger companies and losing their charm and unique identity. Does the Leader of the House agree that more should be done to protect local pubs, such as the fabulous Horse & Groom in Linby?”
“Not only was he listening; he cares and is determined that things will change, and they will. As chair of the APPG on maternity, and as a harmed mother, I thank him. Can he tell me a bit more about how maternity services will be incorporated into his plan for a neighbourhood health service?”
“Families affected by failing maternity services were ignored for far too long, and we have a system of accountability that is broken. I am pleased that the Secretary of State’s plan has a strong focus on patient outcomes and experiences, and that maternity care will be at the forefront. I am also pleased to see that the single patient records will be rolled out in maternity services first. It is vital that women feel heard and seen throughout their pregnancy journey, and that crucial information no longer falls through the cracks of numerous systems that do not sync up. I express my heartfelt thanks to the Secretary of State for really listening, for speaking to families across the country, and for coming to Nottinghamshire twice. I can honestly say that his reaction moved me.”
“T4. ITP Aero supports over 700 jobs in Hucknall in my constituency. I recently went to visit the site with representatives from Unite to meet those highly skilled workers, who are essential not only in supporting our defence sector, but for protecting our national security. What are this Government doing to ensure that work done under future contracts is completed in the UK, by UK workers?”
“The saying goes that it takes a village to raise a baby, meaning that those in our community provide families with vital support. Does the Minister agree that we need to invest in more community midwives to ensure that families are properly supported through the whole of pregnancy and after birth?”
“My constituency of Sherwood Forest has the second largest BCSSS membership in the country. Almost 40% of the membership is women—women who were formerly employed in the mining industry, and women who were the spouses of members who have sadly died. Does the hon. Member agree that it is vital that the Government deliver justice for this scheme not only for constituencies such ours in Nottinghamshire but also for women?”
“In my Sherwood Forest constituency, high streets are the beating heart of towns such as Ollerton and Hucknall. Ollerton is set to receive record funding from this Labour Government, and I thank the Minister for that. However, Hucknall was badly let down by the previous Government, with false promises of funding that quite simply did not exist. Will he meet me to discuss how this Labour Government can support the future of Hucknall, enabling it to be the glorious high street it once was?”
“These former coalfield communities, previously decimated, are still some of the most deprived areas in the country. Almost one in 10 people in coalfield communities are in poor health, and nearly one in five are economically inactive. For too long, disadvantaged communities have been forgotten by previous Governments, often leaving it to the communities to step in for themselves. For example, the Social Action Hub in Rainworth has made it its mission to improve the life chances of, and increase sustainable opportunities for, the most deprived and marginalised in our society. If we are to tackle child poverty, it must start in the most disadvantaged communities, and it starts at the very beginning of a child’s life. It has a huge impact on where they go in life and how they make it out of poverty.”
“It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Sir Roger. The very premise of my values and beliefs is that where we are born should not determine our future, yet unfortunately that is still the case in many communities across the country, including my constituency of Sherwood Forest, where even the difference between being born in the south part of the constituency compared with the north is the difference in how long someone lives. Places such as Ollerton, Rainworth and Clipston in the north of my constituency face poorer health outcomes, particularly for mental health, and lower opportunities for skills and decent and secure jobs. They are battling with long-term social and economic decline. Other equally important areas in my constituency include Hucknall, Bilsthorpe and Blidworth.”
“In just over a week’s time, the independent review of maternity services at Nottingham university hospitals NHS trust is due to close to new cases. It is the largest review of maternity services in NHS history, with more than 2,300 families now involved. Will the Leader of the House join me in thanking Donna Ockenden, her team and the affected families, and encourage anyone else who can to come forward before 31 May? I am the third person to raise this matter in business questions today. I would like, as would the affected families, a debate in this House in Government time on the future of maternity services, as the issue becomes more and more pressing.”
“I therefore urge the Minister to ensure that the experiences of black women are at the heart of any forthcoming maternity strategy, and that trusts are strongly encouraged to engage with communities so that their voices are no longer ignored. If inequalities are to be addressed, we require a national framework and a maternity strategy that is fit for the future.”